>I've always been fascinated by that scene near the beginning of Goethe's
>"Faust" where Faust in his study ponders the proper translation of EN ARCHi
>HN hO LOGOS, begins by translating hO LOGOS as "the Word," progresses
>through several intermediate stages and ends up translating hO LOGOS as
>"the Act." And that's not really so strange considering the role assigned
>the LOGOS in creation in the prologue and the fact that at least one of the
>background elements entering into the meanings of hO LOGOS must be the OT
>range of senses of the DABAR-YHWH.
>
>Carl W. Conrad

Carl is quite right. The whole issue is discussed in great detail by CK
Barrett in both of his books on the Gospel of John. In grad school I once
was in a seminar on the Gospel and we spent the entire 15 week semester on
the first 12 verses! To say that there is a lot of material in the term
LOGOS is the understatement of the century!